Fall in zone 10aPhoto: George Chernilevsky, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 33838 (Dundee, FL)
Average last spring and first fall frost dates with 10%, 50% and 90% odds, from NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the nearest weather station, Mtn Lake, FL (6 miles away).
Freezes are uncommon here
NOAA's normals for this station show a 32°F night in about 82% of years (about 4 freezing night(s) a year on average). The dates below describe freeze timing for the station's record; in many years there may be no 32°F freeze at all.
- Average last spring frostFeb 450% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostJan 4 (next year)50% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)332 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone10a30 to 35°F avg. coldest night
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This week in your yard
As of Oct 18, 2026, from your frost dates, zone and soil temperature. Lawn timing · Vegetables · Pruning · Plants
Freezes are uncommon here, so frost-based timing is rough. Local extension calendars for frost-free areas use months.
Soil temperature now
2-inch depth
No soil station with a fresh reading within 62 miles.
4-inch depth
No soil station with a fresh reading within 62 miles.
Fall: Texas A&M AgriLife times fall pre-emergent (for winter weeds such as annual bluegrass) to soil cooling to about 70°F for several days. The 50–55°F band is the spring trigger. Always read and follow the product label.
7-day forecast and frost risk
The latest National Weather Service 7-day forecast and any Frost Advisory or Freeze Warning for 33838 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
No soil reading near this ZIP. Typical extension timing for your region: spring late January to mid-February (south Florida: earlier; check local soil temps); fall October to early November.
Fertilizer window
Lawn region: Gulf Coast and peninsular Florida. Timing only; always follow the product label.
- St. Augustinegrass (warm-season): Spring: About 2–3 weeks after full green-up (May in the Carolinas; earlier in Florida and south Texas) (about Mar 15 here, using green-up about 3–4 weeks after your average last frost); Summer: Light feedings June–August where local rules allow; Last: No later than about mid-September in the Carolinas, about 6–8 weeks before first frost elsewhere. Avoid: Feeding before green-up or late in fall (feeds weeds and favors large patch and cold injury).
Plant now
- Kale: fall sowing Sep 28–Oct 26
- Kale: fall transplant Oct 12–Nov 9
- Collards: fall sowing Sep 28–Oct 26
- Collards: fall transplant Oct 12–Nov 9
- Broccoli: fall transplant Sep 28–Oct 26
- Cabbage: fall transplant Sep 28–Oct 26
- Cauliflower: fall transplant Sep 28–Oct 26
- Carrot: fall sowing Oct 12–26
- Pea (garden, snap, snow): fall sowing Oct 12–26
- Bean, bush (snap): fall sowing Oct 12–26
- Cucumber: fall sowing Oct 12–26
- Summer squash / zucchini: fall sowing Oct 12–26
Coming up in the next 3 weeks
- Lettuce: fall sowing Oct 26–Nov 23
- Kohlrabi: fall sowing Oct 26–Nov 9
- Swiss chard: fall sowing Oct 26–Nov 9
- Beet: fall sowing Oct 26–Nov 9
- Turnip: fall sowing Oct 26–Nov 9
- Green onion / scallion: fall sowing Oct 26–Nov 9
- Strawberry (plants): fall transplant Oct 26–Nov 23
Prune now
No frost-timed pruning windows are open this week.
Spring-flowering shrubs are pruned right after their flowers fade, not by date. See the pruning guide.
Last spring frost odds
| Chance of a 32°F freeze after this date | Date |
|---|---|
| 90% (early: most years still freeze after this) | Jan 1 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Feb 4 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | Mar 11 |
Most gardeners plant frost-tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, basil) after the 50% date, and closer to the 10% date for less risk.
First fall frost odds
| Chance the first 32°F freeze has happened by this date | Date |
|---|---|
| 10% (early: 1 year in 10 freezes this soon) | Dec 8 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Jan 4 (next year) |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Feb 10 (next year) |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | Feb 25 | Dec 21 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Feb 4 | Jan 4 (next year) |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Jan 20 | Jan 8 (next year) |
n/a means NOAA did not publish a date at that threshold for this station (usually because it rarely gets that cold).
Vegetable planting calendar for 33838
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Feb 4) and first fall frost (Jan 4). Half of years have a frost after the spring date, so give tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, squash) some slack.
| Crop | Start indoors | Spring planting | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Dec 10–24 | Feb 11–25 (transplant) | Sep 7–Oct 5 (transplant) |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Nov 26–Dec 10 | Feb 18–Mar 4 (transplant) | Sep 14–Oct 5 (transplant) |
| Eggplant | Nov 26–Dec 10 | Feb 18–Mar 4 (transplant) | Sep 14–Oct 5 (transplant) |
| Tomatillo | Dec 10–24 | Feb 11–25 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Dec 10–24 | Jan 14–Feb 4 (transplant) Jan 7–Feb 18 (sow outdoors) | Nov 9–30 (transplant) Oct 26–Nov 23 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Dec 24–Jan 14 (sow outdoors) | Nov 9–30 (sowing) |
| Kale | Dec 10–24 | Jan 7–21 (transplant) Jan 7–21 (sow outdoors) | Oct 12–Nov 9 (transplant) Sep 28–Oct 26 (sowing) |
| Collards | Dec 10–24 | Jan 7–Feb 4 (transplant) Jan 7–Feb 4 (sow outdoors) | Oct 12–Nov 9 (transplant) Sep 28–Oct 26 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Nov 26–Dec 10 | Jan 7–21 (transplant) | Sep 28–Oct 26 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Nov 26–Dec 10 | Jan 7–21 (transplant) | Sep 28–Oct 26 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Nov 26–Dec 10 | Jan 21–Feb 4 (transplant) | Sep 28–Oct 26 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Nov 12–26 | Jan 7–21 (transplant) | Sep 14–Oct 5 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Dec 10–24 | Jan 7–21 (transplant) Jan 7–21 (sow outdoors) | Oct 26–Nov 9 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Jan 7–21 (sow outdoors) | Nov 9–23 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Jan 7–Feb 4 (sow outdoors) | Nov 9–Dec 7 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Jan 7–28 (sow outdoors) | Nov 9–23 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Dec 24–Jan 7 | Jan 21–Feb 11 (transplant) Jan 21–Feb 18 (sow outdoors) | Oct 26–Nov 9 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Jan 7–Feb 4 (sow outdoors) | Oct 26–Nov 9 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Jan 14–Feb 11 (sow outdoors) | Oct 12–26 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Dec 31–Feb 11 (sow outdoors) | Nov 23–Dec 7 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Jan 7–28 (sow outdoors) | Oct 26–Nov 9 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Jan 14–Feb 4 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Dec 10–Jan 7 (sow outdoors) | Oct 12–26 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Nov 12–26 | Dec 24–Jan 7 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Dec 24–Jan 21 (sow outdoors) | Oct 26–Nov 9 (sowing) |
| Leek | Nov 12–26 | Jan 7–21 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Nov 23–Dec 21 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Dec 24–Jan 7 (transplant) | Nov 23–Dec 21 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Jan 7–21 (transplant) | Sep 14–28 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | Feb 25–Mar 11 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Feb 11–25 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Feb 11–25 (sow outdoors) | Oct 12–26 (sowing) |
| Bean, pole | – | Feb 11–25 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | Feb 18–Mar 4 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | Feb 25–Mar 18 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Jan 7–14 | Feb 11–25 (transplant) Feb 11–25 (sow outdoors) | Oct 12–26 (sowing) |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Jan 7–14 | Feb 11–25 (transplant) Feb 11–25 (sow outdoors) | Oct 12–26 (sowing) |
| Winter squash | Jan 7–14 | Feb 11–25 (transplant) Feb 11–25 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Feb 11–25 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Jan 7–14 | Feb 18–Mar 4 (transplant) Feb 18–Mar 4 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Jan 7–14 | Feb 18–Mar 4 (transplant) Feb 18–Mar 4 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Dec 24–Jan 7 | Feb 18–Mar 4 (transplant) Feb 18–Mar 4 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Nov 12–26 | Feb 11–18 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Dec 24–Jan 7 | Feb 11–25 (transplant) Feb 11–25 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Jan 21–Feb 18 (sow outdoors) | Nov 9–23 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Nov 26–Dec 10 | Jan 21–Feb 4 (transplant) Jan 14–Feb 4 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Feb 4–18 (sow outdoors) | Nov 9–23 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Feb 4–18 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Jan 7–21 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Jan 7–21 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Jan 7–21 (transplant) | Oct 26–Nov 23 (transplant) |
Typical ranges from university extension planting calendars, adjusted to your frost dates. Probabilities, not guarantees. Fall windows that would overlap spring planting are left out, as are fall crops of frost-tender plants where the frost-free season is under 210 days.
Plants that do well here
Florida has a university or garden plant program: Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Plant Guide. Plant frost-tender annuals after February 4 here (the average last frost). Not affiliated with the program.
Where these numbers come from
Station: Mtn Lake, FL (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00085973), elevation 125 ft, 5.5 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: S (standard, 24+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Haven, FL | 8 mi | Jan 16 | Jan 9 (next year) |
| Winter Haven Gilbert AP, FL | 9 mi | Jan 15 | Jan 10 (next year) |
| Bartow 1SE, FL | 16 mi | Jan 24 | Jan 7 (next year) |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 20 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 33838
When is the last frost in 33838?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 33838 is February 4. For a more cautious planting date, use March 11, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 33838?
The average first fall freeze is January 4 (next year). In 1 year in 10 it comes by December 8.
What hardiness zone is 33838?
ZIP 33838 is in USDA zone 10a (30 to 35°F average coldest winter night), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP listing.
What is the soil temperature in 33838 right now?
This page shows the latest 2-inch and 4-inch soil temperature from the nearest public soil station (USDA SCAN, NOAA USCRN or TexMesonet), or a labeled estimate when no station is close, against the 50–55°F spring pre-emergent band.
Nearby ZIP codes
33851 Lake Hamilton 33877 Waverly 33884 Winter Haven 33844 Haines City 33881 Winter Haven 33853 Lake Wales 33859 Alturas 33839 Eagle Lake
Other ZIP codes in Polk County
33801 33803 33805 33809 33810 33811 33812 33813 33815 33823 33827 33830 33835 33837 33839 33840 33841 33843 33844 33847 33849 33850 33851 33853 All Polk County frost dates · Florida frost dates
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Weekly yard timing, plus frost and soil-temperature alerts for your ZIP code.
- Freeze alerts
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- Weekly yard to-dos
Free. One weekly email plus alerts when your ZIP has a frost or a soil-temperature change worth acting on. After you submit, Kit (our email provider) sends a confirmation email: check your email and click the link to confirm. You aren't subscribed until you do. We collect only your email address and ZIP, sent to Kit to deliver The Dial. Unsubscribe anytime.